The comment in the lecture about most American music being in 4/4 time raised my interest. I decided to look into which Southern and country rock performers stepped away from this formula, apart from the mentioned “Whipping Post” by the Allman Brothers. I found an example of a slower song by Eric Clapton, “River of Tears,” which is played in 3/4 time signature (Warner Records Vault, 2009). It is a somber song with a slow tempo and lyrics about loss and confusion. It combines Clapton’s electric guitar solo that puts it squarely in the rock genre and soulful background singers, a bass guitar, slow and quiet drums, and a piano. The latter creates a unique experience, especially in a live performance, because electric instruments are combined with more classically sounding ones. The mix of these instruments and the song’s time put it in a genre of blues rock.
Notably, the song starts and ends with a guitar solo, and the performance is rather long – almost eight minutes. With the slow tempo of the song, however, the length of the performance feels appropriate. The text is minimal, with short phrasing and sad lyrics, often repeating lines and using simple rhyming schemes. The chorus consists of several versions of the phrase “I feel like I’m drowning in a river of tears” to emphasize the repetitive nature of the performer’s days and the feeling of loss (Warner Records Vault, 2009). Returning to the time signature – it also adds to the song’s emotional nature, as 3/4 time is often connected to waltz. Here, the combination of the instruments, Clapton’s solos as the major part of the performance, and the song’s rhythm create an interesting experience, showing why Clapton’s music is a staple in Southern rock.
Work Cited
Warner Records Vault. (2009). Eric Clapton – River of Tears (Live Video) | Warner Vault [Video]. YouTube.